Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets -Sheet 1.

'R. W. HUNTER. GAR GOUPLING;

No. 372,980. Patented Now). a. 1887.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 2.-

R. W. HUNTER.

} GAR GOUPLING. Patented Nov. 8, 1887,

V N. PETERS, Pholo-llnhngnphzr. Washingion. D. C. l

UNITED STATES PATENT Gurrcn.

ROBERT W.HUNTER, OF CLINTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO THOMAS S..STONE, OF AQUASCO, MARYLAND.

'CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,980, dated November 8, 1887.

' Application filed August 18, 1887. Serial No. 247,263. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT W. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Clinton, in the county of Prince Georges and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Coup lings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accornpanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of my new and improved car coupling. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the weighted link. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the bearing on which the weighted end of the link rests. Fig.

5 is atransverse vertical sectional viewtaken on the plane indicated by line am: of Fig. 2, showing the coupling-pin raised and supported in its raised position on the top flange of the shaftwing; and Fig. 6- is a view taken on the same sectional line, showing the wing swung back by the entering link and the pin dropped to make the coupling.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention consistsin a new and improved car-coupling, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates the draw-head of one car, which is provided with my new and improved coupling, this draw-head being formed with the large opening or recess B for the reception of the weighted end of my improved couplinglink, and having secured on the lower side of 'bearing'O within the draw-head when the pin F has been passed down through its central opening, I, and thus hold the link always in a perfectly horizontal position. This central vertical opening, I, may be made somewhat the link some play on the hearing, when desired. The inner end of the link is secured within the weight H below the cent-er or middle line of the thickness of the same, by which construction it will be seen that by turning the weight over, the height of the link can be changed to suit draw-heads of different heights, both sides of the weight being made tlat for this purpose. I

K indicates the draw-head on another car, which the link Genters. This drawhead K is formed with the gradually-converging sides L L, as shown, which serve to guide the entering end of the coupling-link to the pin N of the draw-head K, this pin passing through the usual top and bottom openings, M, in the drawhead.

At the inner end of one of the converging side wings, L, and just behind the same, as shown, is journaled in bearings in the drawhead K a vertical shaft, 0, to which is secured a longitudinal radial wing, P, which is wide enough to extend nearly across the opening at the inner converging ends of the side pieces, L L, when turned in by the shaft 0, and upon the top of this wing is formed or secured a horizontal flange, Q. which extends forward from the top edge of the said wing immediately beneath the top opening M, through which the coupling-pin N passes, when the shaft is turned to swing the wingP forward. Upon the projecting top of this shaft 0, above the draw-head, is secured a wheel, R, the wide edge or periphery ofwhich is formed with a parts of this spiral groove are secured the inner ends of two cords or ropes, TandU,whioh extend ofi to opposite sides of the car through suitable supporting-eyes. To the central portion of this groove is secured one end of a connecting-rope, V, which extends from the said wheel under a grooved pulley, lV, in the lower head, up and over a grooved roller or pulley, B, in the top of the said standard or upright,

longer than the diameter of the pin F, to give spiral groove, S, and in the upper and lower part of an upright, A, on the top of the drawtoo and is secured at its other end to the top of the coupling-pin N.

In operation, when two cars provided with my improved car-coupling are approaching each other to be coupled, the right-hand cord or rope, T, is pulled by its outer end at the side of the car, and as the inner portion of this cord is then wound around the spirallygrooved wheel R on the top of the shaft 0, it will be seen that as the cord is thus pulled from its outer end it will revolve the shaft 0 as it is unwound from the wheel, and while thus unwinding will at the same time wind around the central part of the said wheel the end of the connecting cord or rope V, thus drawing down the said rope and raising the coupling-pin N, while as the shaft 0 is thus turned it swings its radial wing P forward so as to bring it across between the inner converging ends of the sides L L. It will be seen that by thus drawing upon the outer end of the rope T from the side of the car, the

coupling-pin will be raised until its broadened lower end is above the top flange of the radial wing l of the shaft 0, while by thesame movement the shaft swings its radial wing around until its top flange, Q, comes beneath the lower end of the raised coupling-pin,when the said flange will hold the pin up in its raised position. \Vhen the ears meet, the outer end of the link will enter the mouth of the drawhead K, and, being guided by the converging side pieces, L L, will strike with its end against the radial wing P, and thus swing the said wing back so as to push the top flange of the said wing back from under the lower end of the couplingpin, which it supports, and the pin will then drop by its own weight down within the entering end of the link, and the cars will be thus automatically coupled together without the necessity of en-. tering between the cars at any moment. As the shaft 0 is thus rotated by the pressing back of its wing as the link enters, and further by the dropping of the coupling-pin N, the inner part of the rope T is wound around the spirally-groot ed wheel R, and to uncouple the cars it is only necessary to pull upon the outer end of the cord T from the side of the car, when the shaft 0 will turn in the other direction, backward, and wind the end of the connecting-cord V around the central part of the grooved wheel R, thus raising the pin N so as to free the link G and thus uncouple the cars without going between them. At the same time this turning of the shaft 0 to raise the coupling-pin swings its radial wing P forward, so that its top flange, Q, will come heneath the lower end of the raised couplingpin N, and thus hold the said pin up in position, ready for coupling the next car without any further adjustment, as will be readily understood. Two stops, 0 and D, are secured upon the top of the draw-head K, and prevent the wheel R from being revolved too far in either direction by engaging a lug or projection, E, on the lower part of the wheel. The other operating-cord, U, can be used to couple the cars by hand when so des1red or required, as by drawing on the outer end of the said cord when the pin N is elevated and held up by the top flange, Q, of the radial wing 1 the shaft 0 will be rotated back to swing the said wing with its top flange back so as to let the pin N drop, as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood. It will be seen that my new and improved carcoupling is simple, cheap, and strong in construction and exceedingly efficient in 1ts operation. It will automatically couple the cars without the possibility of failure, and will obviate the necessity of going between the cars to couple them, which is a source of so many fatal accidents. Its use will also save time in making up a train, as one pull on the rope T will set the coupling ready to be coupled at the moment when the cars come together. The beveled bearing plate, on which the weighted end of the coupling-link rests, serves to reduce friction and enable the said link to be easily handled, while the weight on the end of the link serves to automatically hold the link in a horizontal position and prevents its outer end from dropping by its own weight. By securing the end of the link in the weight below the center of the thickness of the same the height of the link may be adjusted, as be fore stated, by merely turning it with the weight over.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination, with a drawhead having a link, of the draw-head having the converging side pieces and the top and bottom apertures, the coupling-pin, the upright having the pulleys, the shaft having the radial wing formed with the top flange, and having on its upper end the wheel formed with the spiral groove, the operating-cords, and the connecting-cord, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-head having the beveled bearing-plate, a coupling-pin, and the weight having one end of a conplinglink secured in it below its center, of the draw-head having the converging side pieces and the top and bottom apertures, a coupling-pin, the upright having the pulleys, the shaft having the radial wing formed with the top flange, and having on its upper end the wheel formed with the spiral groove, the operating-cords, and the connecting-cord, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination, with a draw-head having a link, of the draw-hcad having the converging side pieces and the top and .bottom apertures, the coupling-pin, the upright hav In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto aflixed my signature To in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT W. HUNTER.

Witnesses: 7 Lotus BAGGER, AUGUST PETERSON. 

